Tuesday, January 31, 2012

What an honor it was to compete with such an awesome group of people this past weekend!

It's so nice to compete with a group of people and yet never feel as though I am competing against them, only with them. The feeling of "team" was overwhelming this weekend and I think that speaks volumes of the gym environment we have. If we see something in another CrossFitter we don't have, the tendency is not to tear that person down, it's to admire them and work hard to join them one day. This is just one of the many things I loved about this weekend, we were all there with common goals... but just as much as we were happy to reach our own goals, we were over the moon pumped for our team mates who did the same.

I just re-read my previous post and I am happy to say this weekend caught me completely by surprise. I went into the weekend telling myself no matter what I would give my 100% in every workout and be completely pumped with whatever that meant in the standings. I wound up taking 4th place of 27 girls in the intermediate category. I was shocked... and I still am. What's even better than that? I got to share this epic moment with a whole lot of Synergy members who also achieved incredible things this weekend. Standings aside, everybody was there to give it their all and everybody has more than enough reason to hold their heads high. I always have been... but especially after this weekend, I am so proud to be a part of Synergy.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Then I remember how far I've come and suddenly the feeling of defeat flips slightly. I am only defeated if I choose to be; perhaps what I am tempted to view as defeat is actually victory in disguise.

They released the WODs for FrostFit today and they're terrifying. I'm not just saying that to be dramatic, there are actually things in the workouts that I've never successfully accomplished before and more than that, there are things I haven't even tried. This makes me feel defeated before even arriving in Winnepeg. Then I think to myself, what if the only true defeat is not to have tried in the first place?

I am victorious. I have taken hold of my life and changed it; I have come a great distance. Regardless of how this weekend shakes down, I have won. The very fact I am able to be in this competition screams victory, as myself a year ago would never have considered it even a slight option.

This is what I will remember going into this weekend, I have victory. With that in my mind, I will smile and enjoy each moment. Regardless of what I can't do, I will focus on and be joyful about what I can.

Friday, January 20, 2012

I think we all have different opinions and images that conjure up when we think of the word strong. What happens when I put the words strong and gym together, what do you picture? The picture will differ slightly for everyone but I think a common picture that may come up is one of a very muscular and in-shape person. What if I put the words strong and emotionally together? What are you picturing now? How about if I say strong and mentally? See, strong can mean a lot of different things. Of all of these, which is the greatest strength? I don’t think I could choose just one, but how about this: the strength to love yourself.

In the generation we live in, we’re constantly being bombarded with images and media that tells us we’re not good enough. We’re told that we need to be strong yet so much of what surrounds us exists for the simple purpose of making us feel inadequate. The only way we’re ever going to overcome this ever growing need in society is to fight back. How? Be strong enough to love yourself. Recognize that you are capable, brilliant, and strong in every way. Are you feeling weak in one area? Find a way to fight back, find your strong. You can choose to be defeated or you can choose to rise up and face whatever it is head on. That, my dear friends, is strength.

I felt really weak in a lot of ways for quite some time then life changed. I realized that strength is not something I would one day happen across as I was going about my merry way; rather, strength is something I chose the day I decided to embrace my potential. Scratch that, not even my potential, just the day I decided to embrace myself. There is so much strength in that.

Are you finding yourself wishing, wanting, even jealous sometimes? Take a moment to sit back and appreciate what you can do then make goals to take on those things you think you can’t. Find the strength to fight back. Most of all, be strong enough to love yourself.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Well, having just returned to the gym after being sick for a week (yesterday was day #3 back) I have revisted the old voice in my head that used to say "no matter what happens, just keep moving."

I think this is important and it helps me in a lot of ways. For me, it takes focus off of being competitive and puts it back into why I am at the gym in the first place; to better myself. It takes the focus off of couting reps and places it directly on pacing yourself while pushing forward. Interestingly enough, when this has been my mentality, my reps have been higher. Go figure?

I met a couple of awesome ladies at the gym last night, apparently they have read my blog. This makes me happy. They had that same look in thier eyes I did when I joined and thier questions were similar to all of the things I was thinking. So, if you ladies are reading this... I only have one thing to say... get excited! Promise yourselves that you'll keep on moving and never turn back. I am SO excited to watch you two on your journey and to cheer you along the way. Oh, and I look forward to reading your blogs one day too. :)